Delta Will Defer Delivery of Tariffed Aircraft

The Atlanta-based airline expects to receive a handful of new aircraft deliveries this year, all of which are from European planemaker Airbus.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, April 09, 2025 at 02:33 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Delta A350-900. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Delta CEO Ed Bastian said Wednesday that the carrier will defer new aircraft that are impacted by tariffs. The Atlanta-based airline expects to receive a handful of new aircraft deliveries this year, all of which are from European planemaker Airbus.

“Obviously, in this environment, we are going to work and we are working very closely with Airbus, which is the only [manufacturer] we’ve got deliveries coming from – for the balance of this year,” he added during an earnings call. “They are a great partner. We’ll do our very best to see what we have to do to minimize tariffs.”

This year, the airline planned to take delivery of 43 aircraft, per its 2024 annual filing. This includes A220, A321neo, A330neo, A350-900, and A350-1000 models.

According to Delta CFO Dan Janki, the airline will net around 10 additional aircraft in 2025 when factoring in retirements.

“But the one thing that you need to know we are very clear on is that we will not be paying tariffs on any aircraft deliveries we take. These times are pretty uncertain,” Bastian continued.

If a 20% incremental cost is put on top of an aircraft’s standard price, Bastian said “it gets very difficult to make that math work.”

On Wednesday afternoon, the White House said it would pause tariffs for 90 days on nonretaliating countries. It remains unclear how this could impact Airbus, which manufactures jets in France and Canada.

“We will defer any deliveries that have a tariff on it,” Bastian concluded.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

Delta Retiring Some Aircraft Early Amid ‘Murky’ Outlook

Facing what CEO Ed Bastian calls “broad economic uncertainty,” Delta plans to retire some aircraft earlier than planned.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, April 09, 2025 at 11:59 AM ET

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A Delta Boeing 757-200. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Facing what CEO Ed Bastian calls “broad economic uncertainty,” Delta plans to retire some aircraft earlier than planned. The carrier also expects to limit capacity growth in the second half of 2025.

Previously, Delta anticipated 2025 to be its best year on record with 7% revenue growth. But bookings “really started to slow” in mid-February, Bastian told CNBC, noting that back-to-back high-profile aircraft accidents compounded this.

President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs have created even more uncertainty in the market. Bastian added that the White House is taking “the wrong approach.”

“The level of uncertainty that we’re facing coming out of the global trade discussions and skirmishes is a bit unprecedented,” Bastian told Yahoo Finance. “Our bookings are pretty good. They have a pretty good line of sight for the next 60 to 90 days, but beyond that, it’s a bit murky.”

Delta reported its first-quarter results on Wednesday, dropping its profit outlook for the year.

Fleet Shake-Ups

This year, the Atlanta-based airline expects moderated fleet growth alongside future capacity cuts.

Delta finance chief Dan Janki said on the carrier’s earnings call that some Boeing 757s, 767s, and older A320s will be retired early.

“On the fleet, we now expect our net aircraft additions this year to be less than 1%, with 10 or fewer incremental aircraft as we manage both retirement and deliveries,” Janki said. “Lower growth and accelerated aircraft retirements will drive incremental maintenance savings.”

In 2024, the airline retired around 20 aircraft. But Janki said 30 or more jets could be phased out this year.

A Delta Boeing 767-300ER at London Heathrow (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Accelerated aircraft retirements on older aircraft is one line of defense, in addition to capacity cuts to off-peak domestic main cabin, Delta President Glen Hauenstein shared.

Delta expects fewer than 10 net additions to its fleet this year and will defer any aircraft hit with a tariff. The airline is slated to only receive new jets from European manufacturer Airbus.

“ So when … we look at retirements, we’ve always talked about we’d operate in this range of 20 to 30 [aircraft]. I think we’ll be at 30, probably above, maybe as it relates to retirements,” Janki added.

United is also retiring some aircraft early amid capacity cuts, its CEO said last month.

Ryan Ewing

New Study Supports Beard Safety for Airline Pilots

A recent study has provided strong evidence that beards do not interfere with the effectiveness of oxygen masks for airline pilots.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, April 09, 2025 at 09:52 AM ET

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A Horizon Air E175 at Paine Field. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

A recent study has provided strong evidence that beards do not interfere with the effectiveness of oxygen masks for airline pilots, challenging long-standing policies at many airlines that require pilots to be clean-shaven.

The study, conducted by researchers at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and published in the journal Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance, found no difference in oxygen saturation levels between clean-shaven pilots and those with short or long beards when they use standard airline oxygen masks.

“Using a current on-demand airline oxygen mask, oxygen saturation levels were never compromised by any of the beard conditions,” the researchers concluded in April. “These results support the contention that airline pilots with beards of any length would not be impaired by hypoxia or smoke while dealing with an in-flight emergency.”

The study involved 24 volunteers who were tested in a hypoxia chamber simulating conditions at 30,000 feet altitude. Participants wore oxygen masks in three beard conditions: clean-shaven, short beards under about 0.4 inches in length, and long beards over 0.4 inches. Their blood oxygen levels were continuously monitored, and researchers found no significant differences between the groups.

Additionally, when exposed to pungent smelling salts with masks on, none of the participants could detect the scent, regardless of facial hair. This suggests beards do not interfere with the mask’s ability to block smoke or other irritants.

2018 Study

These findings align with a 2018 study commissioned by Air Canada, which led the airline to change its policy and allow pilots to have beards. That research, conducted at Simon Fraser University, similarly found that beard length had no impact on the effectiveness of pilot oxygen masks.

Many major U.S. airlines still prohibit pilots from having beards, citing safety concerns about oxygen mask seals. Airlines like American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, and Spirit require pilots to be clean-shaven, while some others like Hawaiian, Avelo, and Allegiant do allow facial hair.

The Federal Aviation Administration does not mandate that pilots be clean-shaven. This rule is usually set by the carrier itself.

Ryan Ewing

Southwest Plans to Retrofit All Jets by January

Southwest expects to retrofit the interiors of more than 800 aircraft over eight months. These modifications are expected to begin on May 1.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, April 09, 2025 at 09:07 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Refreshed interiors on Southwest aircraft (Photo: Southwest Airlines)

Southwest expects to retrofit the interiors of more than 800 aircraft over eight months. These modifications are expected to begin on May 1.

According to an Aviation Week report, Landon Nitschke, senior vice president of technical operations at the carrier, said teams will work on seven to 10 Boeing 737 aircraft each night. These retrofits will take place at Southwest maintenance facilities in Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Denver, Atlanta, and Orlando, Florida.

In July, the Dallas-based airline announced plans to add extra-legroom seating to its fleet, alongside a pivot to assigned seating. These cabin upgrades include new Recaro-designed seats and larger overhead bins.

The airline plans to complete the retrofits by Dec. 31, Nitschke added.

Ryan Ewing

Atlantic Airways Opens New Academy

The academy, which is just a short walking distance from the country's only airport, which is located in Vágar, will feature two full flight simulators.

Joey Gerardi

Tuesday, April 08, 2025 at 04:42 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Atlantic Airways Airbus A320neo in Vágar, Faroe Islands (Photo: Atlantic Airways)

Faroe Islands-based Atlantic Airways has made history by opening its first aviation academy last week. The academy, which is just a short walking distance from the country’s only airport, which is located in Vágar, will feature two full flight simulators: one for the Airbus A320neo, which SIM International produces, and a second one for the AgustaWestland 139 helicopter.

The new Atlantic Airways simulator buildings at Vágar Airport while they were under construction in the Fall of 2024 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

The A320neo simulator will be useful for its pilots, so they can practice the tricky landings that can sometimes be found in the Faroe Islands. But, the AW139 simulator will be helpful for a completely different reason: training people for its search and rescue operations (SAR).

The airline operates two helicopters not only for scheduled operations within the Faroe Islands, but also for its SAR operations, as well as medical transportation.

An Atlantic Airways Agusta Westland AW139 helicopter (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

The AW139 sim, which is a level D device by Thales, can also be combined with a “mixed reality hoist trainer,” so the crews can practice these SAR operations as if they were out in the field. This helicopter simulator with its hoist training capability will draw in people from all across the world to the small island nation to train on its specially designed simulators, especially those who want to train for search and rescue operations.

This mixed reality hoist training also simulates payload to be raised or lowered. Also included in it is Mixed Reality technology, which is made by the “ThalesView” Image Generation system and can provide visual cues, enabling the person operating the hoist to lean outside freely from the “helicopter” as if you were out in the field.

In a press report from Thales, Atlantic Airways CEO Jóhanna á Bergi had some thoughts on the new AW139 simulator: “The AW139 simulator and integrated Hoist Trainer are key pillars of our Aviation Academy and will ensure world-class, mission-ready training for pilots and crews right here in the Faroe Islands.”

Both the AW139 and the Airbus A320neo full motion simulators in Atlantic Airways’ possession are now certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and Atlantic Airways is currently pursuing certification with the United Kingdom.

The training center has the ability to certify around 600 pilots per year, depending on their course and training requirements.

Joey Gerardi

Joey has always been interested in planes for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself, the first thing he did with his driver's license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2022 with a B.S. in Aviation Management & Operations and a Minor in Business, and currently works for a major airline in his hometown.

‘Malicious’ Radio Transmissions Heard During Aircraft Emergency

While on approach, the controller warned the American crew of the unauthorized transmission, which had occurred roughly 15 minutes earlier.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, April 08, 2025 at 04:31 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

American aircraft at CVG Airport. (Photo: CVG Airport | Steve Ziegelmeyer)

A controller and several pilots heard “malicious” transmissions on an air traffic control frequency Sunday. The incident occurred at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

According to air traffic control audio tapes, a voice can be heard on the frequency saying “go around.” The controller later said this was not an instruction from the tower.

Some pilots also heard the transmission, but no action was taken. A Kalitta Air crew said they “clearly heard” the go-around instructions.

The controller responded, saying he believed this transmission to be “malicious” in nature.

“Exercise extreme caution for all frequencies and verify instructions,” the controller warned all aircraft.

Aircraft Emergency

Around the same time, American flight 672, operating from Dallas/Fort Worth to New York LaGuardia, was forced to divert to Cincinnati due to a right-hand engine issue. The crew proceeded to shut the engine down.

An emergency was declared, and the Boeing 737-800 landed safely. While on approach, the controller warned the American crew of the unauthorized transmission, which had occurred roughly 15 minutes earlier.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson told AirlineGeeks that the agency had received a report of the unauthorized transmission but would not investigate until there were repeat incidents. If more were to take place, the matter could be referred to law enforcement, the spokesperson added.

Ryan Ewing

Pakistan International Airlines Turns First Profit Since 2003

Pakistan International Airlines is in the black for the first time since 2003. The financials could be a shot in the arm to the government.

Pete Ainsley

Tuesday, April 08, 2025 at 12:09 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A PIA Airbus A320 (Photo: Shutterstock | Asim Ali Malik)

Pakistan International Airlines is in the black for the first time since 2003. The latest financial statement could be a shot in the arm to the government after it failed to privatise the airline last year.

According to Bloomberg, the Pakistani flag carrier achieved earnings per share of 5.01 rupees ($0.017) in the year that ended in December. Costs were 10.06 billion rupees in 2024, compared to 79.42 billion rupees in 2023.

In response to the pilot scandal in 2020, the Pakistani airline was banned from flying to the U.S, the European Union, and the U.K.

Struggle To Expand Service

After years of being prohibited from flying to the U.S., the struggling airline is trying to spread its wings in North America again. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) delegation is expected to visit Pakistan in mid-April, and PIA could come under scrutiny. The airline used to operate flights to New York and Chicago before 2020.

In 2025, the airline saw a silver lining as the E.U. lifted the ban on operating in Europe. The airline resumed flight operations between Islamabad and Paris in January.

However, the airline suffered a major setback last month. The U.K. has kept its ban in effect.

Pete Ainsley

American Pilots Eye Union Change

Some pilots at American are looking to make a change in unions. The airline’s roughly 16,000 pilots are currently represented by the Allied Pilots Association.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, April 08, 2025 at 10:13 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American A321 in Phoenix (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Some pilots at American Airlines are looking to make a change in unions. The airline’s roughly 16,000 pilots are currently represented by the Allied Pilots Association (APA).

But 58% of pilots recently polled at the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier say they “strongly” or “somewhat favor” a committee to explore a merger with the larger Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).

ALPA represents pilots at most North American airlines, including Delta and United.

According to a recent APA memo, the University of New Hampshire Survey Center conducted 908 APA pilot interviews from Feb. 3 to Feb. 13. Roughly 25% of polled pilots said they are “firmly opposed to an ALPA merger, don’t want a committee or want to fund a committee, intrinsic opposition.”

The pollster briefed APA directors in late March on these results, adding that there was no “unanimous sentiment on either side of the question” regarding an ALPA merger. “You have a majority who want to go forward,” the memo stated, citing comments from the pollster.

The APA did not reply to AirlineGeeks’ request for comment on these results.

This push for a merger between the two unions is nothing new. Last year, a group called AA Pilots for ALPA told Forbes it collected 8,219 cards in support of the merger, roughly half of the total pilot group.

Ryan Ewing

Delta Ends Transatlantic Route After Five Months

Delta also links Orlando and Amsterdam with seasonal long-haul flights, which are currently slated to resume in October 2025.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, April 07, 2025 at 01:02 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Delta Airbus A330neo (Photo: Shutterstock | Nate Hovee)

Delta plans to suspend service on a route added last year. The Atlanta-based airline has made some changes to its long-haul network in recent months, including the end of flights from Los Angeles to Papeete, Tahiti, along with new service between Atlanta and Marrakech, Morocco.

But the carrier’s Orlando, Florida, to London Heathrow route will not return next season, a Delta spokesperson told AirlineGeeks on Monday. The route was launched in October 2024 and ended for the winter season in March.

According to Cirium Diio schedule data, the airline initially planned to resume this service in October 2025. Flights operated four times per week on an Airbus A330-900neo.

Delta also links Orlando and Amsterdam with long-haul flights, which are currently slated to resume in October.

“Delta routinely adjusts its network to best meet demand. In Orlando, customers will continue to benefit from nonstop service to LHR through our Joint Venture partner, Virgin Atlantic, this winter,” the spokesperson added. “Delta will contact all impacted customers with new itineraries, and we apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause.”

Virgin Atlantic flies between London Heathrow twice per day. The carrier also connects the Florida city to Manchester, England, as well as Edinburgh, Scotland.

Ryan Ewing

Boeing Disputes 737 Production Slowdown Report

Boeing has disputed an industry report claiming the company’s factory in Renton, Washington, had slowed 737 MAX production to 31 jets per month.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Monday, April 07, 2025 at 11:08 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Boeing 737 MAX tail in Renton (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Boeing has disputed a report claiming the company’s factory in Renton, Washington, had slowed 737 MAX production to 31 aircraft per month.

The Air Current report cited “those familiar with [Boeing’s] factory progress” stating the factory had pulled back its March production number down from 38 airplanes per month in February.

Boeing is currently capped at building 38 planes per month due to increased production scrutiny by the Federal Aviation Administration following a plethora of safety concerns last year.

On Tuesday, Boeing reportedly denied changes in production count for its best-selling 737 aircraft, according to Reuters.

A Boeing spokesperson said the program had not yet reached a rate of 38 aircraft per month so far this year, so production was not reduced. Boeing did not elaborate on how many aircraft it was producing per month.

“Our team continues to focus on production stability and quality as we methodically increase 737 production,” the spokesperson added in a statement.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

AirlineGeeks.com was founded in February 2013 as a one-person blog in Washington D.C. Since then, we’ve grown to have 25+ active team members scattered across the globe. We are all here for the same reason: we love deep-diving into the fascinating realm of the airline industry.